1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a crimping tool locator and, more particularly pertains to a universal crimping tool locator which is adapted to accurately and repeatedly accommodate and locate all sizes of electrical contacts in a crimping tool within the crimping range of a specific crimping tool frame.
The utilization of crimping tools which are specifically designed to provide appropriate interconnections between electrical contacts or terminals and the stripped ends of normally sheathed or insulated electrical wires, and in which the electrical contacts are crimped to constitute electrically conductive and clamped connections with the wire ends in a substantially permanent and specifically arranged manner, is widely known in the electrical wiring technology. Crimping tools of many kinds for effecting interconnections between electrical contacts and electrical wires have been developed to high degrees of sophistication in industry, such tools ranging from simple hand tools of the type in which manual exertion is employed for squeezing the barrel portion of a contact onto the stripped end of a wire disposed therein, to the provision of complex crimping tool frames which may be designed to accommodate a large number of specific, diversely sized crimping tool locators in order to be able to effectuate the interconnections between a wide range of complementary electrical contact and wire sizes.
In order to properly position or, in essence, be able to determine the relative positioning of the electrical contacts and therewith associated stripped electrical wire ends in the appropriate crimping tool or crimping tool frame, there have been developed suitable crimping tool locators, in which the respectively employed crimping tool locator is specifically adapted to properly position the applicable electrical contact in the crimping tool or tool frame such that the indentors or the components providing the crimping action are located in the appropriate position relative to the contact, thereby enabling the formation of a reliable electrical interconnection between the contact and the therewith associated wire.
Inasmuch as the sizes or dimensions of electrical contacts and associated electrical wires which are to be connected thereto may vary over a considerable range, an individual crimping tool frame may of necessity require the stocking of considerable numbers of individual crimping tool locators so as to be able to facilitate the locating of the full range of electrical connectors or contacts and associated wires in the crimping tool. The requirement for having to provide a multiplicity of different or diverse crimping tool locators for use with a single crimping tool frame or device to facilitate the positioning of the crimping tool, which is associated therewith, entails an extremely complex and expensive mode of operation. In particular, it is frequently necessary to provide large numbers of diverse crimping tool locators, which necessitates a considerable financial expenditure, and moreover it may be physically impractical to carry every available crimping tool locator to every specific job site or to stock every development or research laboratory and facility with a full complement of electrical contact and wire crimping tooling. Moreover, at times it may not even be feasible to stock a full range of crimping tool locators which are adapted to be associated with a specific crimping tool frame or device, resultingly leading to possible operating downtime and the inconvenience in having to search for an obtain the appropriate crimping tool locator. In addition to the foregoing, such a need for having to provide a large number of different crimping tool locators may possibly lead to the expense of including crimping tool locators which may only be required for specific or limited applications, thereby again increasing the cost of tooling in having to stock such underutilized infrequently employed components.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In essence, crimping tool locators which are currently employed in the electrical industry and technology related to the interconnection of electrical contacts and wires, and which are associated with various types of crimping tools or frames, are basically subject to the limitations as discussed hereinabove.
Nickerson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,314 disclose a crimping tool wherein a spring-loaded crimping contact locator is adapted to be positioned therein in order to facilitate locating the stripped end of an electrical wire in specific relationship with an electrical contact which is to be crimped thereover. There is no disclosure of utilizing a universal crimping tool locator as contemplated pursuant to the present invention, wherein a single universal crimping tool locator is adapted to locate a wide range of differently dimensioned electrical contacts and wires in a crimping tool arrangement.
Undin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,242 disclose a locator device for a crimping tool which is also directed to be utilized primarily with a single size of electrical contacts and wire for cable shoes.
Demler U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,209 discloses a crimping tool locator which is primarily utilized for the purpose of locating a single size of an electrical contact adapted to and clampingly joined to a specific wire size.
Filia U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,611 discloses a terminal locator for a crimping tool which is also designed primarily for locating and positioning a particularly sized electrical contact and wire component in the crimping tool.
Munshower et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,963 disclose a crimping tool providing for crimping adjustment between electrical contacts and wires, but does not disclose a full range of crimping tool locations to enable differently sized electrical contacts to be accommodated in the crimping tool to the extent provided for by the inventive universal crimping tool locator.
Holmes et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,150 disclose a turret head assembly for a crimping tool which is designed to accommodate differently dimensioned and positioned electrical contacts and locating these in the crimping tool for crimping engagement with electrical wires. However, only a limited number of different crimping tool adjustments are possible with this particular turret head construction.
Filia U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,848 discloses a crimping tool adjustment device for locating and positioning an electrical terminal element in a crimping tool in proper relationship with tool dies. There is no disclosure of a universal crimping tool providing for the locating of variously sized electrical contacts and wires in crimping tool assemblies or frames over a wide range of wire and contact dimensions.